Patent GB-368767-A (GB)
IPC: C21D9/46
Abstract: 368,767. Endless chain conveyers. ATKINSON GRIFFITHS NORMALISING CO., Ltd., 47, Victoria, Street, London, and GRIFFITHS, E. E., Ennerdale, Linden Avenue, Blundellsands, Lancashire. Dec. 3, 1930, No. 24840/31. Divided on 368,774. [Class 78 (i).] In a continuous annealing furnace through which metal sheets are conveyed by being detachably secured at their upper edges to supports depending from a conveyer C, the sheets are fed in succession from a pile K to a device D which, while maintaining them substantially horizontal, brings their attachment edges into position for engagement by a transfer device T or the supports of the main furnace conveyer C, the sheets, after such engagement has been effected, being allowed to turn about the attachment edges into the vertical position in which they travel through the furnace A. The invention is described as applied to the treatment of sheets having bentover or plain upper edges, but it is also applicable, with suitable modification of the supports, to sheets having holes punched adjacent their upper edges. The beading or bending over of the upper edges is effected by a beading machine E during their passage between two pairs of feeding belts Q<1>, Q<2> to which the sheets are fed after being properly positioned, by means of pivoted squaring fingers P<1>, mounted in pairs on endless chains and an aligning stud d<2>, on the table D. The feeding belts Q<1>, Q<2> are driven from the main shaft S through gearing 8, 9, 10, 20, 21. - The device for transferring the beaded sheets from the belts Q<1>, Q<2> to the furnace conveyer C comprises a transfer conveyer. T, which carries vertical bars t<3> with hooked parts t<4> to engage the bent-over edges k<4> of the sheets K, and is guided by members 34, 35 which engage the bars t<3> and rollers 36 on the conveyer respectively. The guide 34 carries rollers 37, which bear on the sheets, and pivoted latches t<5> adapted to be pushed upwardly by the forward travel of the sheets. During this part of their travel, the sheets are supported at their righthand edges on a bar adjustably secured to the table D ; when the sheets pass off this bar, they swing downwardly about the beaded edges k<4>, as shown in Fig. 11, thus permitting the latches t<5> to fall into securing position. The furnace conveyer C is of the kind having depending carrier bars B to which are attached sheet-gripping devices F, adapted, by engagement with a fixed cam bar c<3> to be held in open position during attachment and removal of the sheets. The movement of the transfer conveyer T is synchronized with that of the furnace conveyer C and the former slopes downwardly at its delivery end so that the hooks t<4> leave the edge k<4> as it is engaged by the grippers F. The latter are of the kind described in Specification 368,774, but modified forms are described for use with transfer devices of different construction and when the transfer device is omitted altogether. In the latter case, the grippers are arranged to grip the sheet while it is horizontal and are then allowed to swing downwardly to carry the sheet into the vertical position. Gripping devices of this type may also replace the supports t<3>, t<4> on the transfer conveyer T. Fig. 28 shows a construction in which the transfer conveyer is replaced by a bar M having a forwardly sloping bevelled upper edge, pivoted catches t<14> being provided to prevent displacement of the sheet after it has swung into the vertical position. The feeding device may be modified, as shown in Fig. 47, by omitting the belts Q<1>, Q<2>, the sheets being, in this case, fed by an attendant from a pile k<6> down skids d<12> on to a table d<10>, having squaring pins P<3>, and being then pushed forward by hand into position for engagement by the attachment devices of the transfer conveyer T<4>. When the sheets emerge from the discharge chamber O<1>, Fig. 6, they are removed from the conveyer C by a transfer conveyer L which feeds them between a pair of endless belts j<1> serving to support them during their passage through a de-beading or shearing machine E<1>. The lower parts of the sheets engage a series of spaced horizontal bars j<2>, each inclined at a greater angle to the direction of travel than the one above, and serving, on release of the sheets, to deflect them into position for passage through horizontal rollers j3 which deliver them on to a horizontal pile at the side of the machine. Specifications 324,679 and 335,234, [both in Class 78 (i), Conveyers &c.], also are referred to.